System and Method of Modifying Policy Settings In An Electronic Device

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method of modifying policy settings in an electronic device. An embodiment includes a plurality of access stations, each capable of wirelessly transmitting across a geographic region. A mobile electronic device, capable of roaming between regions is operable to establish a wireless link with the access stations. The device is owned by an office which sets communication policies determining through which access stations mobile device can place voice calls. This policy is stored on an office server as a database and periodically transmitted to the device as the device makes contact with the office server over the internet. Hence, the device maintains a copy of this policy database. When placing a voice call, the device first determines which access station is serving the region it is located in and then determines whether it is allowed to place a call through that access station using its policy database.

1 . A method of controlling communications with a mobile communication device comprising:
 maintaining a policy at the mobile communication device, the policy comprising at least one entry comprising a base station identifier and an indication of whether communication is allowed or disallowed with a base station corresponding to the base station identifier;   establishing a communication link with the base station;   retrieving the at least one entry from the policy;   allowing communications with the base station in accordance with the indication from the policy.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said communication comprises a plurality of different services. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said services comprise any of voice, emails, internet browsing and/or text messaging. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the at least one entry further comprises an indication permitting one of said services in a specific region and an indication disallowing another one of said services in said specific region. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said communication occurs in at least one of plurality of formats, each format having a different susceptibility to interception; and wherein the at least one entry further comprises an indication which disallows said communications based on the at least one of plurality of formats. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one entry further comprises an indication disallowing said communications if a cost for conducting said communications exceeds a predefined threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of formats comprise one or more of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Bluetooth™, infra-red, and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said communication occurs in at least one of Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Firewire, and RS-232. 
     
     
         9 . A mobile communication device, comprising:
 a communications subsystem; and   a microprocessor;   wherein the communications subsystem and the microprocessor cooperate to:
 maintain a policy at the mobile communication device, the policy comprising at least one entry comprising a base station identifier and an indication of whether communication is allowed or disallowed with a base station corresponding to the base station identifier; 
 establish a communication link with the base station; 
 retrieve the at least one entry from the policy; and 
 allow communications with the base station in accordance with the indication from the policy. 
   
     
     
         10 . The mobile communication device of  claim 9  wherein said communication comprises a plurality of different services. 
     
     
         11 . The mobile communication device of  claim 10  wherein said services comprise any of voice, emails, internet browsing and/or text messaging. 
     
     
         12 . The mobile communication device of  claim 10  wherein the at least one entry further comprises an indication permitting one of said services in a specific region and an indication disallowing another one of said services in said specific region. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile communication device of  claim 9  wherein said communication occurs in at least one of plurality of formats, each format having a different susceptibility to interception; and wherein the at least one entry further comprises an indication which disallows said communications based on the at least one of plurality of formats. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile communication device of  claim 9  wherein the at least one entry further comprises an indication disallowing said communications if a cost for conducting said communications exceeds a predefined threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The mobile communication device of  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of formats comprise one or more of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Bluetooth™, infra-red, and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile communication device of  claim 9  wherein said communication occurs in at least one of Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Firewire, and RS-232. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon executable code for execution by a microprocessor of a mobile communication device, the executable code comprising instructions for:
 maintaining a policy at the mobile communication device, the policy comprising at least one entry comprising a base station identifier and an indication of whether communication is allowed or disallowed with a base station corresponding to the base station identifier;   establishing a communication link with the base station;   retrieving the at least one entry from the policy; and   allowing communications with the base station in accordance with the indication from the policy.